Strangeness in the Air
by The Mad Maiden
Summary: The Mad Hatter is wondering if there's something wrong with the air in Wonderland. An Hatter/older!Alice fic.


Strangeness in the Air  
Prompt: 054 Air  
Summary: The Mad Hatter is wondering why he's finding it hard to breathe

Alice's Age: 21

Something was wrong in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter realized. Very wrong with Wonderland....or him. He just couldn't figure out what it was though. There seemed to be something wrong with the air here. He was starting to lose his breath at certain times and it was starting to worry him. He wasn't sure what was happening.

The first time it had happened he was playing a game of catch with the Tweedle's, Hare and Alice. He wasn't worried at first when he had a loss of breath. He'd just fallen down on the ground after going after the Frisbee. He figured that he'd gotten the wind knocked out of him when he'd landed. That's why he hadn't really been worried when he'd looked up at everyone laughing and found that he couldn't breathe.

The second time he'd been a little put off. This time he'd been talking to the Walrus about the idea of him creating a hat for the Walruses invisible friend Pinniped. Alice and the Queen had walked by laughing about something and he'd couldn't breathe. It was short and he'd tried to pass it off as the sun being in his eyes but somehow he knew that wasn't what it was. This was what really started to make him suspicious.

The third time it had happened two weeks later at his own house. He was sitting having a cup of tea while the March Hare was talking to Alice about something. He wasn't sure what it was though. Looking up over his cup of tea he saw Alice smiling and laughing at something Hare had said and again he found for a moment his breath was gone. It was then that he'd realized that something serious was happening. Making some quick excuses he's gotten up from the table and went for a walk away from his confused friends.

He was glad to find that he'd been able to resume breathing normally once he was away from his house. What did this mean? Was he allergic to something, was that what was causing his odd breathing? Not sure what else to do he made his way to the one person in Wonderland that almost everyone went to for advice.

"And I just don't know what's happening!" The Mad Hatter admitted out loud with a sigh. "I think there's something wrong with the air."

"If there was something wrong with the air...." The Caterpillar drew out his words. "Wouldn't everyone else be affected as well?"

"Oh yah....I hadn't thought of that."

There was a pause before the Caterpillar spoke up again.

"So this has happened three times?"

"Yes and it's getting stranger."

"How....so...?"

The Hatter paused trying to gather his thoughts....which was always hard for him. "I don't know, it's just that I lose my breath, my mouth goes dry...I feel...kind of nervous..."

The Caterpillar nodded. "In these three times were the same people with you?"

The Hatter thought for a moment. "Well just Hare and Alice...no wait...Hare wasn't there for the second time." He nodded to himself. "But that's it...I don't see what.."

"It's quite simple...." The Caterpillar replied but he two was cut off.

"Oh...I know, pick me!" A purring noise was coming from thin air until the Cheshire cat followed it into view.

"Oh what do you want?" The Caterpillar asked sharply, quite annoyed at having been interrupted.

"I know what his problem is!" The Cat grinned widely. "It's so obvious I thought he'd have guessed by now."

"What?" The Hatter asked

"You're in love."

The Caterpillar shook his head. He'd peen planning on breaking the news a tad more gently to the hatted man.

The man in question just laughed. "Right...good one Cat...me in love... That's the funniest thing I've ever heard."

"Well...I wasn't joking." The cat replied still grinning. "However if you don't believe me then I suppose I could always just ask Alice what she thinks....Purrrrhaps she'll give me a straight answer." With that the cat disappeared.

There was a pause before the Hatter looked over at the Caterpillar. "He wouldn't really ask Alice....would he?"

The Caterpillar shrugged. "I couldn't say. However I do advise you to talk to her yourself. It would be for the best."

The Hatter was quiet for a moment but then spoke up. "Do you think I'm...in love?"

"Well...it's not up to me...the caterpillar replied. "Though she does seem to have taken your breath away. Perhaps she has taken your heart as well."

The Hatter looked unconvinced but got up off the mushroom he'd been sitting on. "Well, I'll...think about it." He started on his walk back to his house.

Alice was sipping tea out of a strange teacup as she waited for the Mad Hatter to return. The March Hare had left a little while ago but as Alice really didn't have to be back home for a while she stayed to finish her tea. She was also a little curious about why the Hatter had gone off like he did. He seemed, stranger then usual.

Looking up from her cup of tea she was very surprised to see that the Hatter was sitting at the end of the table now. She hadn't even heard him walk in. He was obviously deep in thought about something as he was never this quiet.

She wasn't sure what was going on so she just took another sip of her drink. She'd never been much of a tea drinker before she'd come here but after years of tea parties she considered it one of her favorite drinks. This had amused a lot of her friends all through high school as most of them were drinking beer by that point. She didn't and she had a suspicion that was why she wasn't invited to many party's.

She looked deep into her drink. It didn't mater though. High school was over now, it didn't matter if she didn't have a date to the dance anymore. That part of her life was over. Which was good too. She though with a sigh, idly stirring a spoon. She'd never liked those things much, true it was fun being with friends but as they'd all gotten themselves paired off she sometimes felt left out at the dances. She just didn't have any luck when it came to boys, much to her mothers dismay. True she'd had a crush on someone when she was in high school but that was ages ago and she was sure she was over that.

She'd better be, she thought to herself with a wry smile looking over at her friend. Honestly of all the clichés. Thinking you liked your best friend, someday she needed to realize that she wasn't living int a tv sitcom.

"Hello Hatter." She spoke up after a while, deciding to end their silence. "When did you get here?" She wasn't sure why she was pretending she hadn't noticed him but it seemed like the best plan at the moment. She didn't want to say that she hadn't said anything when she saw him because she'd thought he looked like he was thinking.

The Hatter was oblivious to her internal monologue turned towards her. "Alice..."

It seemed that he hadn't realized that she was there either. She shook her head, maybe it wasn't just her then.

"Hello" She waved cheerily and then got up and went to sit next to him. Taking another of the teacups that scattered the table she took a drink. "Where did you go?"

"Oh, here, there, and then back here again." The Hatter replied vaguely with a wave of his hand. He seemed to be paying a special effort not to look at her.

Alice looked at the hatter suspiciously. "Are you alright?"

"Of course Alice." The man suddenly turned to look at her. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Alice shrugged slightly. "I don't know....."

"You don't know then you shouldn't ask, should you?"

Alice rolled her eyes and shook her head. Whatever was on his mind it couldn't be that serious as he was back to making jokes again. "Alright." She reached for the sugar the same time as the Hatter did and noticed that as their hands brushed he moved back quickly. She didn't make much notice of it as she was pretty much used to the Hatter acting strangely.

The started stirring her drink as her attention was caught again by the Hatter.

"Alice, I think you still have something of mine."

"Really?" Alice looked over with a small frown. "I thought I returned your cook book."

There was an odd look in the Hatters eyes as he shook his head. "Nope but I would like it back you know. It's very important."

Alice hated when he started to get cryptic. "What are you talking about?"

"My breath." The Hatted man said seriously. "I would like it back please."

There was a long silence as Alice stared at her hatted friend. "What....did you say?"

The man sighed, "I said Alice you stole my breath away." He looked thoughtful. "Well that and my heart but you can keep that if you want. It hasn't been troubling me it's just my breath."

Alice wasn't really sure what to say to this. It had sounded like he'd just said.... "I don't have your breath." She couldn't believe she was having this conversation.

The Hatter looked puzzled for a moment. "That's strange." He shrugged. "Oh well it's sure to be around here somewhere. "I could have sworn you'd had it though."

Alice didn't say anything as she wasn't trusting herself to speak. "Are you sure you know what your talking about?"

"Of course not Alice!"

"Of course--" Alice was suddenly cut off as the Hatter leaned over and kissed her.

The kiss lasted a few seconds but it had taken her completely by surprise.

"There." The Hatter proclaimed with a smile. "Now I have your breath."

Alice touched her mouth as she looked over at the man. After a few moments she started to laugh.

"Alice...what's so funny? Alice?"

She managed to calm down after a few moments. "That's..." She shook her head. "You can't go around kissing people Hatter."

The Hatter looked astonished. "Oh course. I know that. But you have my heart and I have your breath so we're even."

"I have...."Alice didn't say anything for a moment. "What are you talking..."

"I...love..you..."

"You....?"Alice looked over at the Hatter who wasn't looking at her.

"Well...yah...kinda.." The Hatter replied as though he was embarrassed. "I just realized and...", he looked over at Alice and shrugged slightly. "I don't know....."

"Well..."Alice started. "I suppose since you told me that I have your heart it's safe to tell you..." She caught his glance on the way up. "You have mine too."

The Hatter's eyes lit up as she said this. "But then I still have your breath." He said after a moment of thought.

"Well, then give it back." And with that Alice leaned up brought her lips to meet his. She'd figure how to explain the whole taking away your breath thing to him later.


End file.
